Notice-hanger for post-office boxes.



L. T. HANKINS.

NOTICE HANGER FOR POST OFFICE BOXES,

APPLICATION FILED AUGJI. I915.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

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NOTICE-HANGER FOR POST-OFFICE BOXES.

Application filed August 11, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LANGDON T. HANKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lightfoot, in the county of James City and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Notice-Hangers for Post-Oiiice Boxes, of which the following i a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to devices for displaying notices and particularly to a device for displaying notices relating to call boxes in postofiices.

In postoflices, call boxes are usually formed with a bar or rod which runs across the front of .the box and the primary object of my invention is to provide a device, whereby notice cards may be suspended from this rod in case it is desired to notify the renter of the box either of a package, a registered letter, the box rent being due, or other facts to which it is desired to call his attention.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a face view of a postotfice box with my notice carrier disposed. therein;

Figs. 2 and 3 are opposite face views of the card used with the notice carrier;

Fig. i is a perspective view of the carrier or hanger itself;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view thereof.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, it will be seen that the hanger comprises a sheet of metal 2, having formed upon it, at its upper edge, the rearwardly extending, integral handle strip or tongue 3. The lateral edges of the plate 2 at its bottom and opposite sides are inwardly bent, as at 4: to form the guide grooves to receive the card 5. In order that the hanger may be supported upon the supporting bar which, as before stated, usually extends across the box, I provide the downwardly extending, forwardly disposed lateral hooks 6, also formed integral with the plate 2. These hooks are adapted to engage over the bar 7, and to firmly support the hanger upon the bar.

The card 5. may be made in a variety of ways, but preferably this card contains upon Specification of Letters Patent. Pggtgnted Rial. 19, 1?}18.

Serial No. 44,973.

its opposite faces, two separate notices. Thus as will be seen in Fig. 2, one face of the card contains upon it a notice that the renter of the box is to call for a registered letter and upon the same face there is a notice that the renter is to call for a package too large to be placed within the box.

It will be noticed that these two notices are reversed with relation to each other. On the opposite side of the card, (Fig. 8), there is a notice that the box is unrented and also a notice that the box rent is due and payable. These two notices are reversely disposed with relation to each other. When the card is placed in the holder, one portion of the notice on one face will be concealed or nearly concealed by the cross bar 7, while the other notice will be displayed. Of course, where no notices are intended to be displayed at all, the hanger may be very readily removed. The handle 3 permits the hanger to be removed from the back of the box and engaged with the bar 7. The device is simple, may be readily applied and may be very cheaply manufactured. It forms a convenient and certain means of giving notice to patrons of postoflice boxes, in the cases stated and it is obvious that-other notices may be placed upon the card, if necessary. The card hanger does not obstruct the view of the number on the box and only partially obstructs the view of the inside of the box, not enough however, to prevent the patron seeing if there is any mail in the box.

While I have referred to the hanger as being used in postofiice boxes, it is, of course, understood that it may be used in any other situation for which it is convenient.

This sign or display member will hang down so that the bottom notice will show through the glass in the door. The doors of the lock boxes are made of metal and the lower part of them is glass. Should the renter of the box fail to see the notice through the glass, it will be the first thing brought to his attention when he opens the box, as he will have to push it aside to get his mail.

What is claimed is As an article of manufacture a display plate having flanges inturned upon one face the face of the plate and constituting a, 10 and extending along three sides of the plate handle. V

to form guides for a notice card, the upper In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my end .of the plate being formed with integral signature in the presence of two Witnesses. hooks extending downward from the upper ends of the side flangesand in front of said LANGDON HANKINS' side flanges, said plate being formed at its Witnesses: 7

upper unfolded edge With .rearwardly eX- .WM.iE,. E nL1s,

tending portion disposed at right angles to W. L. DAVIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner-ofPatents,

Washington, 1). 0. 

